κάτω G2736
Down, below, beneath — spatial adverb indicating downward direction or lower position along a vertical axis
The adverb κάτω (kato) expresses downward direction or lower position. Satan tempts Jesus to cast himself 'down' from the temple pinnacle (Matt 4:6; Luke 4:9). At the crucifixion, the temple veil is torn from top to 'bottom' (Matt 27:51; Mark 15:38). Peter warms himself 'below' in the courtyard while Jesus is tried above (Mark 14:66). Jesus tells Nicodemus that what is born of the flesh is 'from below' while what is born of the Spirit is from above (John 8:23). The comparative-threshold use appears in Herod's slaughter of boys 'two years old and under' (Matt 2:16). Spanish 'abajo,' Arabic أَسفَل, Hindi नीचे, Korean 아래로, and Swahili chini all render the downward spatial concept.
Senses
1. down, below, under — A spatial adverb meaning 'down, below, beneath,' indicating either downward motion or static lower position along a vertical axis. Covers directional uses — casting oneself down (Matt 4:6; Luke 4:9), the veil torn to the bottom (Matt 27:51; Mark 15:38) — and locative uses — Peter below in the courtyard (Mark 14:66), being 'from below' versus 'from above' in Johannine theology (John 8:23). The comparative-threshold sense ('under' an age, Matt 2:16) extends the same spatial metaphor to a numerical boundary. No distinct sub-senses emerge across the ten occurrences. 10×
AR["أَسفَل", "أَسْفَلَ", "إلى-أَسفَلَ", "إِلَى-الأَسْفَلِ", "مَا-دُونَ"]·ben["কম,", "নিচে", "নীচে", "নীচে:", "নীচের"]·DE["unten"]·EN["below", "bottom", "down", "under"]·FR["en-bas"]·heb["לְ-מַטָּה", "לְמַטָּה", "מַּטָּה", "מַטָּה"]·HI["और", "नीचे", "नीचे-के"]·ID["bawah", "di-bawah", "di-bawah,", "ke-bawah", "ke-bawah,", "ke-bawah:"]·IT["giu", "giù"]·jav["langkung-andhap,", "mangandhap:", "mangandhap;", "ngandhap", "ngandhap,"]·KO["그-", "아래", "아래로", "아래에", "아래에서"]·PT["abaixo", "abaixo,", "baixo", "debaixo", "embaixo"]·RU["вниз", "вниз,", "вниз;", "внизу", "внизу,", "младше", "низа", "низу"]·ES["abajo", "de-abajo", "menos"]·SW["chini"]·TR["aşağı", "aşağıda", "aşağıdan", "aşağıya"]·urd["نیچے", "نیچے-تک", "نیچے؛", "کم"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κάτω, adverb, (κατά): __I with Verbs implying Motion, downwards, ἐπισκύνιον κ. ἕλκεται Refs 8th c.BC+; especially of the nether world, Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. βλέπειν, φέρεσθαι, Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. διεχώρει αὐτοῖς they suffered from diarrhoea, Refs 5th c.BC+; φάρμακον πῖσαι κ. give a purgative, Refs; κ. βοηθεῖν go down to help, Refs 4th c.BC+; for ἄνω καὶ κάτω, ἄνω κάτω, etc., see at {ἄνω} (B) Refs 4th…